Half to edward kaye



(No Model.)

A. 'KUNKEL.

GAS PRESSURE REGULATOR AND GUT-OFF.

No. 362,894. Patented May 10, 1887.

WITNESSES: IIVVE/VTOI? ATTORNEYJ UNTTED STATES PATENT ADAM KUNKEL, OF PHILLIPSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO EDVARD KAYE, OF SAME PLAOF.

GAS-=PRESSURE REGULATOR AND CUT-OFF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,894, dated May 10, 1887.

Application filed February 7, 1887. Serial No.JQfi,-SO3. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ADAM KUNKEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Phillips burg, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressure-Regulators and Gut-Offs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

In the distribution of natural gas it is one tomary to carry the gas in the mains under considerably higher pressure than is safe or desirable in the service-pipes leading to the points of consumption, and to intcrpose be tween the mains and service-pipes regulators adapted to reduce the pressure and maintain a constant low pressure in the service-pipes. It has proven extremely difllcult to maintain constantly equal pressure in the service-pipes, by reason of the fact that the pressure in the mains continually fluctuates, and the pressureregulating devices heretofore employed have lacked the sensitiveness necessary to cause them to respond instantly and accurately to any change of pressure in the mains.

As meters are seldom or never used in systems of distributing natural gas for heating or lighting, it is customary to base the charges for consumption upon the number of fires, stoves, burners, &c., in use in each establishment, and as there is no limit whatsoever put upon the amount of gas used the consumption of the same is in most cases extravagant and beyond what necessity requires. For the same reason it may happen that an unscrupulous consumer will, by tapping the service-pipe, supply more fires or burners than his contract with the supplier calls for.

Where gas-pressure regulators as heretofore constructed are in use, it has been observed that when a number of fires or burners are supplied from a service-pipe leading from such regulator, and when one or more of such fires or burners are shut off, the remaining ones receive an overplus of gas and flare or flash up, in some cases continuing to burn with unnec essary violence.

My invention has relation to gas-pressure regulators, and has for its object the provision of means for maintaining a constantly cquable pressure in the service-pipes of a gasdistributing system, notwithstanding whatever rariation of pressure may occur in the main.

My invention has for its further object the provision of means whereby the flow of gas from the main to the service pipe or pipes will be so governed and regulated that only a certain predetermined maximum amount of gas will be supplied at each fire or burner, whether all or only a portion of such fires or burners be in action.

My invention has for its still further object the provision of means for automatically closing the cock or valve, through the medium of which the flow of gas from the main to the service pipes is governed, and maintaining such cock or valvcin its closed condition until manually operated or set again in working order.

My invention consistsin the novel construe tion, combination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, and speeificall y claimed, the essential features of my invention com prising a chamber, into which leads a pipe from the main, and out of which leads a pipe to the service or delivery pipe, a chamber communicating with the first-named chamber and containing a float, certain suitable rods or levers secured to said float, and a valve or cook, also connected to said rods or lovers, the two chambers being supplied with a quantity of liquid, and the variation of pressure of the gas in one chamber operating to raise and lower the float in the other by the variation of level of the liquid upon which such float rests, and by the movement of said float operating the valve or cock connected therewith.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating my improvements,Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete apparatus; Figs. 2and 3,dctail views in elevation, showing different positions of the valveopcrating levers.

A 13 designate two separate chambers, the chamber A being closed at top,whilethechamber B is open. These two chambers may be arranged in close contact, or may be at any desired distance apart, and communicate at or a pipe, Q, leading from the main.

near their bottoms by a large pipe or tube, sluice, or other suitable passage,0, represented in the drawings as being of rectangular form in cross-section, and of width equal to the full diameter of the compartments A B. 1

The, compartments A B may be constructed as separate and distinct vessels or as divisions of a single vessel, and contain a quantity of water or other liquid, D. The vessel A has a closed top, through which project an inletpipe, E, and an outlet-pipe, F, while the vessel B is open at top, contains a float, G, andis provided with a cook or spigot, H, near the bottom, for drawing off the liquid contents of the chambers when desired. The float G has a rod, I, secured on top and projecting a' considerable distance above the top of the vessel 13, and guided in a cross-piece, K, at top of same. Upon the rod I, and above the crosspiece K, is fitted a collar, L, adapted to slide upon said rod, and held in any desired position by a thumb screw, Z. Upon one side of collar L is secured a loop or bracket, M, through which passes the free end of a lever pivoted upon a standard, 0, at n.

A curved lever, P, has one end pivoted at 0 to thelever O, and is formed with an annular or L'shapcd slot, 19, on its lower edge, which receives a pin, 0*, on the end of a curved lever, B, the other end of which is made fast to the stem 8 of acock or valve inclosed in a shell or casing, S,whichreceives the inlet-pipeEand The lever P terminates in a finger, p, andin certain position of the levers, as when in the position shown in Fig. 3, the finger p contacts'with a laterally-proj ecting arm, t,which is adj ustably secured by means of a collar, t, and thumbscrew t}, upon an upright, U, and thereby changes the direction of motion of the lever and allows the pin 1" to drop out of the slot 1).

Operation: The apparatus being constructed and arranged as shown and described, and the pipe Q being connected to the gas-main and the outlet-pipe F to the service-pipe, a quantity of liquid is put into the chambers A and B. The float G being supported upon top of this liquid, as the latter rises in the chamber B the lever O is raised at its free end and the lever P drawn down. The gas being now turned on from the main and ignited at all the points where it is designed to be used, the maximum amount of gas to be used when all the fires or burners, or both, are burning is determined on, and the height to which the float shall rise and the consequent amount of opening of the valve to give the maximum amount of the gas so to be used is thereupon regulated and determined by adding to or subtracting from the liquid contents of the chambers. At the same time the arm t is fixed in such position upon the standard or upright U that when the valve is opened to its fullest extent any further falling of the float, caused by loss of pressure in the chamber A, will bring the finger 12 into contact with arm t, and the parts being then in the position shown in Fig. 3, the lever-arm R will drop of its own'weight and suddenly and entirely close the valve. If, when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pressure in the main should increase, the additional pressure in the chamberA will causea fall of the fluid in that chamber and a rise of the fluid in chamber B, thereby raising the float, and through the medium of levers O P turning off the cock S to such an extent as will maintain the supply constant, notwithstanding such increase. If the pressure in themain should decrease, the reverse of the abovedescribed action takes place, and the cock is opened to an extent that will compensate for the decrease in pressure.

In addition to compensating for the variation in pressure in the main, my improved regulator serves also to prevent any of the burners or fires supplied from the service-pipes from consuming more than their proper pre determined amount of gas when any or a number of the other fires or burners are shut ofi, for if any-as a single fire or burner, or all but one of them-be'shut off the gas, having a diminished outlet, willincrease the pressure in the chamber A, and will thereupon cause the float to rise and diminish the opening of the cock or valve S.

The working parts of the apparatus, or so much thereof as may be deemed necessary, should be inclosed in a locked box or receptacle,to prevent tampering therewith by anskilled persons, access being possible only by the employs of the supplier. The apparatus described and shown works admirably, even under the most severe test and under all conditions of pressure, the relative adjustment of the float and lever O, by the movement of the collar on the rod, permitting the apparatus to be adjusted in a few seconds to reduce the pressure from themain to any required or de sired pressure in the service-pipes. The apparatus is exceedingly sensitive to any variations of pressure in the main, and responds instantly and most delicately to any change whatsoever in the number of burners or fires put into or out of service.

Having fully described my invention, I claim v 1. In a gas-pressure regulator, the combination of two communicating chambers, the one closed and the other open, the former receiving high and low pressure pipes, both chambers containing liquid, with a float supported upon the liquid in the open chamber and suitable rods and levers connecting said float to a cook or valve in the high-pressure pipe, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-pressure regulator, the combi nation, with two chambers communicating at their lower portions, one open and the other closed, and both containing liquid, and gaspipes leading into said closed chamber, onefrom the main, another to the service-pipes, of a float ICC IIO

supported upon the liquid in the open chamber and adj ustabl y connected to a cook or valve in the pipe leading from the main, substantially as described.

3. In a gaspressure regulator, the combination, with an open-niouthed vessel containing a float connected to a gas-cock on a highpressure pipe leading from a main, of a chain ber closed at top, containing liquid, and C011]- municating with the iil'Si3I]UllBd chamber be low the level of such liquid and receiving the pipe leading from the main and the pipe leading to the scrvicc pipe above the level of the liquid, substantially as described.

4. In a gas-pressure regulator, the combination, with the closed chamber A, containing a liquid and receiving the pipes E and F, of the chamber B, communicating with the chamber A below the level of the liquid in the same, the float G, the rod I, and the collar L, adj ustable on said rod, and levers O I, connecting said rod to a cock or valve on the pipe E, all constructed and arranged substantially as described.

5. In a gaspressurc regulator, the combination, with a float governed in its movements by the variations of the gas-pressure, of a pivoted lever connected to said float, a lever pivotally connected to said tirstnamed lever and formed with an open-endedslot,and athird lever secured to the stem of a valve or cook and provided with a pin adapted to work in said slot, whereby at a certain point in the movement of the float the pin will be automatically disengaged from the slot, thereby closing the cock or valve, substantially as described.

6. 111 a gaspressure regulator, the combination, with thechamber A,recciving the pipes E F, the chamber B, communicating with the chamber A, the float G in chamber B, the red I, and adjustable collar L thereon, of the pivoted lever O, the lever I pivoted thereto and formed with slot 1) and finger p, the lever B, attached at one end to the stern of a valve or cock set in pipe E, and having a pin, at its other end adapted to enter the slot 1), and the adjustable stop If, all constructed and arranged substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of February, 1887.

ADAM KUNKEL.

lVitnesses:

M. F. D'IEeKLEM, J AS. A. NELSON. 

